Acids & Bases Problem Set

Question 5. More pH Calculations

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pH of Solution with Very Dilute Acid

The negative log of 10 - 10 gives a pH of 10 -- which means that the solution is basic. Does it make sense that a very dilute acid would have the pH of a base?

In the case of a very dilute solution of an acid, water may make a greater contribution to [H +] than the dilute acid. In this problem, a 10 - 10 M solution of HCl contributes 10 - 10 M [H +]. The ionization of water contributes 10 - 7 M [H +].